The Town Board of the Town of Bath recognizes that there are
state statutory provisions mandating towns to establish rules and
standards of ethical conduct for public officers and employees which, if observed, can enhance public confidence in local
government. In the light of a tendency today on the part of some people
to down-grade our local governments and to discredit our public servants
and our free institutions generally, it appears necessary that every
effort is made to assure the highest caliber of public administration
of this town as part of our state's important system of local
government. It is the purpose of this chapter to implement this objective
through the establishment of standards of conduct, to provide for
punishment of violations of such standards and to create a Board of
Ethics to render advisory opinions to the town's officers and
employees as provided for herein.
The standards, prohibited acts and procedures established herein
are in addition to any prohibited acts, conflicts of interest provisions
or procedures prescribed by statute of the State of New York and also
in addition to common law rules and judicial decisions relating to
the conduct of town officers to the extent that the same are more
severe in their application than this chapter.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
TOWN
Any board, commission, district, council or other agency,
department or unit of the government of the Town of Bath.
TOWN EMPLOYEE
Any officer or employee of the Town of Bath, whether paid
or unpaid, whether serving in a fulltime, part-time or advisory capacity.
No town employee shall have any interest, financial or otherwise,
direct or indirect, or engage in any business or transaction or professional
activity or incur any obligation of any nature which is in substantial
conflict with the proper discharge of his duties in the public interest.
In addition to any penalty contained in any other provision
of law, any such town employee who shall knowingly and intentionally
violate any of the provisions of this chapter may be fined, suspended
or removed from office or employment in the manner provided by law.
There is hereby established a Board of Ethics consisting of
three members to be appointed by the Town Board, all of whom reside
in the Town of Bath and who shall serve without compensation and at
the pleasure of the Town Board of the Town of Bath. A majority of
such members shall be persons other than town employees but shall
include at least one member who is an elected or appointed town employee
of the Town of Bath.
The Board of Ethics established hereunder shall render advisory
opinions to town employees on written request and, upon request of
the Town Board, shall make recommendations to such Town Board as to
any amendments of this chapter. The opinions of the Board of Ethics
shall be advisory and confidential, and in no event shall the identity
of the town employee be disclosed except to authorized persons and
agencies. Such opinions shall be on the advice of counsel employed
by the Board of Ethics or, if none, of the Town Attorney.
Such Board of Ethics, upon its formation, shall promulgate its
own rules and regulations as to its form and procedures and shall
maintain appropriate records of its opinions and proceedings.
Upon the adoption of this chapter, the Town Supervisor shall
cause a copy thereof to be distributed to every town employee of this
town. Failure to distribute any such copy or failure of any town employee
to receive such copy shall have no effect on the duty of compliance
with this code nor the enforcement of provisions hereof. The Town
Supervisor shall further cause a copy of this chapter to be kept posted
conspicuously in each public building under the jurisdiction of the
town. Failure to so post this chapter shall have no effect on the
duty of compliance herewith nor the enforcement provisions hereof.
Within 30 days of the adoption of this chapter, the Town Clerk
shall file a copy thereof in the office of the State Comptroller.
The Town Board may appropriate moneys from the general town
funds for the maintenance of and for personnel services to the Board
of Ethics established hereunder, but such Board of Ethics may not
commit the expenditure of town moneys except within the appropriations
provided herein.